Date of issue: 11th May 2005

ACCOUNTANT CHARTS POP DIVA'S SUCCESS AS HIT TOUR REACHES BIRMINGHAM

Birmingham accountant Michael Meakin has been looking after singer/songwriter
Alison Moyet's financial affairs for the past 15 years and is delighted to see her making music headlines yet again with the sell out One Blue Voice national UK tour.

Michael is managing partner at Chartered Accountants Clement Keys, Birmingham, which is a founding member of the Faculty of Entertainment and Media industry of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. He heads the firm's sports and entertainment unit.

Michael makes sure Alison maximises her earnings potential by handling taxation planning, compliance, dealing with image rights abuse and supervising the auditing of record companies to ensure royalties are paid promptly. He also tracks Alison's varied sources of income, which span several countries and include song writing fees, tour earnings, sponsorship and appearance money.

"Because people in the music business and the performing arts have to live in the moment to a large degree, it is essential they invest wisely so as to reap the benefits of what can be a very short-lived career," says Michael, who was in the audience for Alison's Symphony Hall concert last week.

"Operating from a sound financial footing enables artistes to ride out periods with lower earnings and means that if, like Alison, you want some breathing space to reassess your priorities, you are in a position to take time out on your own terms."

Alison Moyet has been at the top since she and Vince Clarke, her partner in the electro-pop/dance duo Yazoo, shot to stardom with the worldwide hit Only You. A three-time BRIT Award winner feted for her highly expressive singing voice, Alison changed direction in 2001, making her critically acclaimed stage debut as Mama Morton in the West End hit musical Chicago.

In 2002 'Hometime', Alison's first studio album in eight years, sold so well it elevated her into the Top Five Best Selling Female UK Artists, since when she has been busy narrating a couple of radio series and recording a voice over for the Channel Four documentary School Reunion.

Backed by a new eight-piece band, which includes a string quartet, Alison is currently wowing audiences up and down the country performing songs from her latest hit album, Voice, as well as classic material from her very varied repertoire.

Alison Moyet's 17-date national UK tour reaches Coventry on May 6 and ends in Cambridge on May 19.